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Whyography of the Week: Natalia Hals, A Woman’s Design

Natalia Hals’ Sweet 16 celebration started the way many birthday parties begin. She was surrounded by people she loved, food, cake, gifts, music. And then the unexpected happened—an out-of-town relative who had just moved to the area suddenly went into labor. As others began to panic, Natalia rushed to the aid of the mom-to-be. She didn’t think twice about leaving her special event for someone else’s. She accompanied her family member to the hospital and stayed by her side through the entire birth.

While that momentous occasion was life-changing for Natalia, and she was moved by the experience, she didn’t think of it as a potential job or consider making a career of it. Even when friends and family continued to request her comforting presence as they were giving birth. Instead, Natalia pursued positions in marketing, communications and sales. But none of those jobs fulfilled her.

Determined to find the profession that was right for her, Natalia embarked on a journey of self-discovery. She took various assessments and sought guidance from advisors. It was during that process that Natalia connected the dots—she could put her passion for helping others to work by supporting expectant mothers as a doula.

In 2010, Natalia launched A Woman’s Design, providing childbirth services throughout the Twin Cities metro in Minnesota. Her mission: to support and educate women and families so they feel confident and empowered during pregnancy, birth and motherhood.

After two years of working as a solo doula, Natalia grew her practice, hiring a team of experienced doulas, educators and support staff. The expansion has enabled A Woman’s Design to integrate a group approach to caring for clients, ensuring every new mom has continuous access to the support and care she needs throughout her birth experience.

Since its launch, A Woman’s Design has supported several hundred families. Services include pregnancy and birth planning consultation, birth and postpartum doula support, massage, lactation support and childbirth education. Natalia’s vision is to continue to expand and build out The Nesting Place—a family center for the community to come together in a nurturing environment and receive the resources and support they need to keep learning and growing.

Natalia’s journey to building her enterprise has also revealed her love for helping women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. Whether it’s mentoring other doulas just beginning their careers or helping budding business owners navigate the twists and turns of bringing their vision to reality, Natalia is committed to investing in others.

Are you ready to courageously share your story with the world and open the door to resources and opportunities? My Founder Story takes you through the process of fully discovering your WHY and developing your Whyography—a powerful short story designed to articulate and elevate your purpose, and an essential tool for leveraging your business with potential investors, partners and supporters. Learn more here.